Ontario’s NDP leader wants a provincial day of mourning to recognize the lives lost in long-term care homes because of COVID-19.
Andrea Horwath says she’ll put forward a motion in the legislature next week to establish it.
“It is an appropriate thing to do, as Ontarians, to set aside that opportunity to be in solidarity with folks who lost their lives, and their family members who had to go through such a harrowing and horrifying experience,” she says.
The NDP Leader wants it held annually on March 30th, to mark the anniversary of when Ford claimed an “iron ring” of protection would be put around long-term care homes.
She’s also seeking an apology from Ford, claiming that protection failed to materialize.
“It’s a requirement that the government of Ontario apologize to the families for not having put an iron ring around long-term care, and we really do need to have a day of mourning set aside to acknowledge the loss,” she emphasizes.
Horwath says nearly 4,000 seniors died, and thousands more suffered illness and neglect as homes struggled to cope.
